The Two Fruits

Matthew 7:15-23

a. You will know them by their fruits (7:15-20)

b. You will enter because of your fruit (7:21-23)

1. INTRODUCTION

a.

2. BODY

a. You will know them by their fruits (7:15-20)

i. Jesus starts verse 15 with an important statement. Jesus introduces false discipleship by explaining it through false prophets. Although there is no mention of true prophets, because He speaks of false prophets, we can imply there are true prophets in the adverse.

ii. Verse 15 is important for us to understand this section. It sheds light on the previous text as well. False prophets will lead people to the broad road, the wide gate that leads to destruction while the true prophet will lead people through the small gate.

iii. But this idea of a false and true prophet really sheds light here in our section for today. Jesus helps us understand a very important concept. It is this idea of a false prophet or false teacher. What is a false teacher? A false teacher is a person who comes in sheep’s clothing to disguise himself of what he is. Look at Jesus’s statement. He says a false prophet comes in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

iv. This reminds me of the story of little red riding hood. That story has a wolf that pretends to be the grandmother to little red riding hood. Well similar to that, false teachers will dress up to look like a sheep, they will dress or act like they are true prophets, but in reality, inwardly, they are false prophets.

v. So when Jesus said this statement, someone probably asked, “How do I know who’s who?” So Jesus goes on in verse 16 by telling the person in the crowd, “You will know them by their fruits.” The reality is, all prophets will seem to be good. All teachers will talk similarly. They will, in Jesus’s words, come to you in sheep’s clothing. They appear “in clothing of sheep,” which means that they appear as harmless as the most harmless of animals. They will sound and pretend like they care about you, but like wolves, they will try to further their own interests at the expense of the flock.

vi. This is why this statement by Jesus, “You will know them by their fruits” is so important. Not only will you know true and false teachers by their fruit, but everyone. This is true of everyone. Every true and false disciple of Jesus Christ is evident by their fruit.

vii. Jesus makes this very clear in verse 17-19. Every good tree, bears good fruit. This statement is very important for us to understand. Jesus states a reality. Every good tree, every tree that is useful, beneficial, good, will do good fruit. But, adversely, bad trees will do bad fruit. Jesus explains this idea by giving us the first layer of a false teacher. Jesus does not give a comprehensive description here of what a false teacher is versus a true teacher. He simply tells those who are listening that it’s not about the outward appearance like a wolf dressed as a sheep, but the things that they do.

viii. This goes both ways. A good fruit isn’t just externally pleasing on the outside. Good fruit is determined by what they do, what they bear. Good fruit will never do bad things, in this case, lead others away from God. Bad fruit will never do good things, in this case, lead others to God. Why? Because the difference of the object of worship. Good fruit, although are not perfect, look to someone outside of themselves.

ix. In this case, they look to their Lord. They look to God. Mentioned in 6:33, they seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and not their own, while false teachers seek first their own kingdom and their own righteousness. Because true teachers are seeking first His kingdom, what they do is manifest in their seeking His righteousness. Their actions reflect what they are seeking and trusting in. The false teacher, in that sense, because they are inwardly seeking their own righteousness, will do what they want for their own benefit because ultimately, it is themselves they are trying to please.

x. This is why when we read verses 17-19, Jesus makes it plain that every tree regardless of their appearance, will be judged according to their fruit. We will all be judged by what we do. This section has really caused me to think a lot because if you think and are reading and listening to what I am saying, it almost sounds like a works based salvation. It sounds like, our deeds, our actions determine whether or not we are saved.

xi. But the opposite is true. Remember, the purpose of the Sermon on the Mount is to remind us that we are bankrupt. There is nothing good in us. This is why we have to trust and look to someone outside of us. We must come to trust the only person who is good enough to stand before God. We must trust in a perfect person. We come to know that the only perfect, good person is the Lord Jesus Christ. This is why, as Jesus correctly states in 5:20, that for us to enter into the kingdom of God, our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees. The only person’s righteousness that exceeds that of the Pharisees is the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is only through the perfect obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ that we can be allowed to enter into the kingdom of God. Only by trusting and seeking Him, can we enter into the kingdom of God.

xii. Only the person who trusts and seeks Him, can bear good fruit. Why? Because the object of our worship is not ourselves, but it is Him. Why do we choose to go through the narrow gate? Because although the wide gate and broad road sounds better, it sounds more comfortable, we choose to go through the narrow gate because that is the gate that He calls us to enter. What do we choose? Do we choose to obey or do we choose to rebel?

xiii. Now going back to this idea that it almost sounds like our salvation is based on our salvation, what I would like to say is, we must believe that salvation is based not on our works, but our works are the fruit of God’s working in us. The way I have come to understand while studying this is, that we should work as if we can earn our salvation. We should work hard in everything we do, to put in effort as if we can earn our salvation. But why do we do this work? Because of our love for our Lord. We want to seek to glorify our Lord by putting in all our energy and effort for His kingdom and His righteousness.

xiv. One of the things that I have seen throughout my Christian life is how hard working the charismatic churches are. They are filled with the Holy Spirit and work so hard as if their salvation hinged on it. On the other hand, the Bible believing churches are cold because they believe their works can’t contribute to their salvation. So many people sit and watch. They become spectators and just observe. Our heads are filled with the truths of Scripture and theology and everything else, but, because we know our salvation is not based on our works, we just sit and watch. I am not saying who is right and who is wrong. What I am saying is both camps are wrong. Jesus tells us that true knowledge leads to true fruit. A true love for God cannot sit and watch. A true love for the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ does not sit around idle watching others. No, it’s quite the opposite. True saving faith is seen through our works. Our love for God is visible by our actions. We don’t love externally. No, we love internally which is evident externally. We don’t just love people or care about them. No, we care and love their souls. We want their souls to be saved, which is why we love them externally. This is the difference between true teachers and false teachers. False teachers will just love people and say things that sound nice. True teachers will love people by loving them, being trustworthy and faithful, but also, tell them the truth.

xv. This is why Jesus concludes verse 18 by stating a good tree cannot produce bad fruit and a bad tree produce good fruit. A good tree will always bear good fruit.

xvi. That leads us to verse 19. Jesus says every tree, this means every single person that does not bear good fruit is cut down. What happens to these trees? They are thrown into the fire. They will face judgment. This is the exact same as what John the Baptist said in Matthew 3:8-10. In that section, John the Baptist teaches the basis of judgment is not failure to belong to the natural family of Abraham, but the lack of the “good fruit” which comes with true repentance.

xvii. This is the same statement that Jesus makes to connect John the Baptist to Himself. The message John the Baptist taught was no different than Jesus. This statement bridges the gap between their teaching. The life that bears good fruit is the life that comes with true repentance. This is why Jesus concludes in verse 20, that you will know them by their fruits.

xviii. This is so true of not only the false teachers but false believers. It is not good enough that we know the truths of God and bear no fruit. We can know the Gospel and believe in the Gospel, but if we stand outside infront of the narrow gate, we won’t make it into the kingdom of God. We must enter. We must go trusting in Jesus Christ and follow His lead. It is not good enough to know and sit around idle. All true believers will be known by their fruit. What fruit? Repentance and obedience.

b. You will enter because of your fruit (7:21-23)

i. Jesus’s statement here in verse 21 is significant. Jesus says not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. The Jesus who in 5:21–47 repeatedly matched God’s OT laws with his own “but I tell you” now presents himself as the one who decides who does and does not enter the kingdom of heaven, and even more remarkably the basis for that entry is people’s relationship with him, whether or not he “knew them.”

ii. This statement by Jesus is telling us calling Him Lord, Lord is insufficient. He has just made emphatically the point that a person’s deeds show what the person is, and he is now saying that words are not the significant thing. It is easy for anyone to profess loyalty, but to practice it is quite another thing.

iii. It is equally true today in the church where many people profess Christ, and many deny Him with their lives. It is no different. What we believe about our Lord will determine how we live for Him. What we know about Him will dictate our behavior before Him.

iv. So who can enter this kingdom? It is the person who does the will of my Father. What is the will of the Father? The hint comes to us from the Lord’s prayer in 6:10. In this verse, it helps us to see our trust in Him. It is to trust whatever God does, it is what He deems is best. It is to believe and to trust that He knows what is best for me.

v. Verse 22 continues to show us that many will say to Jesus on the day of judgment, Lord Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name and do many miracles in your name? Again, it is not simply about doing things. It’s wonderful to do things for God. It’s wonderful to do things that we believe are for God. But it’s totally different when we do things for God and we obey God. It is two separate things when we do services of God but not the Lord’s will. What is the Lord’s will? It is obedience and love for Him. We do things for God because of our love for Him. It is not to earn credits with Him or to impress Him. It is to love Him.

vi. The difference is understood by sin. There are two types of people in this world. When we sin and we get caught, there’s two types. The first type of person is the person who apologizes and is upset because he got caught in his sin. The second person is the person who is broken because of the sin that he sinned. He’s not broken or devastated because he got caught. No, he’s broken because he realizes what he did offended and was an offense against the person that he loves. The one who is broken because he is caught, will not see the kingdom of God.

vii. This is the person who will enter Heaven. The other, will be turned away from Him. Jesus will declare I never knew you. Depart from me. This phrase doesn’t mean that He didn’t know them, but rather, He never recognized you as His own. So when you follow Jesus’s statement here in verse 23, what is the scariest part of this phrase? It isn’t depart from me or I never knew you. It is you who practice lawlessness. The reality here is that this person was doing and is continuing to live this life of lawlessness. This person is continuing to work.

viii. Jesus’s statements help us to understand that everything we do for God must be made in our trusting in Him. The difference between false teachers and true teachers is not simply profession, but the application of their professions. Extraordinary gifts do not mean authentic faith. It is simple. Do you trust Him and submit to Him? Do you submit to His word? Do you pray to Him and spend time with Him because you love Him? If not, check your heart. Jesus is telling you that if there is root in your life, there must and will be fruit. Test yourself and if you believe, enter through the narrow gate. Live your life in obedience to Him.

3. CONCLUSION